WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 213 
The nest of these charming feathered romps is high in 
a pine tree on the steep side of a cafion, so inaccessible 
that never have I looked into one. After the broods are 
reared and able to look out for themselves, the Pine 
Siskins band together in small flocks. So long as every 
bit of food is not covered with snow too deep for shak- 
ing off, they feast and frolic among the scrubby pines of 
the mountains until storms drive them to the foot-hills. 
540a. WESTERN VESPER SPARROW. — Powcetes 
gramineus confinis. 
Famity: The Finches, Sparrows, ete. 
Length : 6.00-6.75. 
Adults : Upper parts brownish gray, everywhere streaked with dusky ; 
bend of wing reddish brown ; outer tail-feathers mostly white ; under 
parts pale buffy white; streaked along sides of throat and acfoss 
chest with dark grayish brown. 
Young : Similar to adult, but markings less distinct. 
Geographical Distribution : Western North America, north to British 
America, east to Manitoba, south to Lower California and Mexico, 
California Breeding Range: In the valleys east of the Sierra Nevada. 
Breeding Season: May and June. 
Nest : On the ground ; of dried grass. 
Eggs: 3 to 6; pale buffy, or dull whitish, often blotched and streaked 
with reddish brown and lavender. Size 0.80 X 0.60. 
Tue hall marks of this dull-colored haunter of grassy 
upland meadows and roadside thickets are its pale red- 
brown shoulders and white outer tail-feathers, shown as 
it flies low over the ground ahead of you. Rarely does 
it venture higher than the top of a fence post, or the low 
branch of a scrub pine, to sing its quaint melodious ves- 
per hymn. As the sun sinks behind the dark trees it 
